Thank You God

Saying thank you is something we all get taught to say at a very early age. We're taught to say thank you whenever someone gives us something or does something for us. But how often do we stop and say thank you to God?

God knows that saying thank you doesn't always come easily or naturally to us. However he does command us to be thankful.

Psalm 100:4
Enter his gates with thanksgiving: go into his courts with praise.

1 Thessalonians 5:18
No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

We often bring our sins and guilt offerings to God, but still forget to say thank you to Him. You might wonder, "what have I to thank God for?". Even when you feel you have nothing to thank God for, you must still try to be thankful, even if that just means thanking God for allowing us the ability to thank him!

Spend a few minutes thinking about the things you can thank God for today. here are a few suggestions:

• Thank him for knowing you and caring about you
• Thank him for your family
• Thank him for your friends

Remember to thank God regularly for all he does, no matter how you are feeling or what you're experiencing.

Thank you God.

All We Need Is Jesus

God He Reigns and All I Need Is You

Holy One
Holy One
Al creation bows to worship
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Glory in the highest

I will sing
I will sing His praises forever

God He reigns
God He reigns
Holy is the Lord of heaven
God He reigns
God He reigns forever more

All I need is You
All I need is You Lord
Is You Lord

Simple words, but words which which I truly believe. Do you believe that all you need is Jesus?


Phillipians 4:19

But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus


Help us spread the message of Jesus to the world, so that all creation bows to worship God. Help the world believe that Jesus is all they need.

Be Strong

Be Strong by Delta Goodrem is a favourite song of mine. It's not a described as a Christian song, however if you listen to the words you'll find that it could be God that's spoken the words...

Are you swimming up stream
in oceans of blue
Do you feel like your sinking?
Are you sick of the rain after all you've been through?
Well I know what you're thinking
When you can't take it
You can make it
Sometime soon I know you'll see

'cause when you're in your darkest hour
And all of the light just fades away
and When you're like a single flower whose colours have turned to shades of gray
Well hang on and be strong

We're taking each step one day at a time
You can't loose your spirit
Let live and let live forget and forgive
It's all how you see it
And just remember keep it together
Don't you know you're never alone

'cause when you're in your darkest hour
And all of the light just fades away
When you're like a single flower whose colours have turned to shades of gray
Well hang on (whoa) and be strong

No you're not defeated
And soon you'll be smiling once again
Then you won't have to feel it
Let it go with the wind
Time passes us by
And know that you're allowed to cry

'cause when you're in your darkest hour
And all of the light just fades away
When you're like a single flower whose colours have turned to shades of gray
Well hang on (whoa) and be strong
(hang on hang on) Be strong
Hold on and be strong

Psalm 145:18
The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.

Hold onto your faith, and stay strong, as God is with you at all times.

Call on Jesus, He will be near you, so stay strong.

Visit Delta Goodrem's website: http://www.deltagoodrem.com/

Love of Family

August is month full of lots of family birthdays as well as our wedding anniversary (see yesterday's clog post called Love). So today was one of my cousin's 50th birthday!

So this afternoon I got a phone call at work to see whether Sandy and I wanted to go out for dinner with my cousin and all the rest of our family. Unfortunately Sandy did not feel up to going out tonight so I went along without him.

We all went for a lovely Chinese and a good old blether which was good as we don't see each other all that much. It also got to see my cousins grandchild for the first time too, so that was good.



All in all it was a good night with my family, even though Sandy wasn't with us.

Today I'd just like to say thank you to God once again for my family and the love they've all shown me over the years.

I pray too for those estranged from their family, and ask that reconciliation may be found so that they might all become one again. For those with no family, I pray they find someone special to them who they can share their lie with.

Thank you God for the love of family.


I've chosen the same song as yesterday to conclude, but make no apology for it as it is a song full of powerful words...The Power of Your Love, this time by Rebecca St James:

Love

On the 27th of August 1994, Sandy and I were married in Rutherglen Salvation Army hall. Wow, 15 year have passed since then. In some ways it seems like only yesterday, but in others it seems a lifetime ago.

While these last 15 years have had fantastic highs there have also been some difficult times, but taking all that into account I realise that without those highs and lows, I wouldn't be the person I am today.

As human, we questions everything. We question God when things go wrong in our lives, but isn't funny how we never question Him when things are going right! It's often said that God wouldn't put you in a situation He didn't think you could handle, and I truly believe that to be the case - not that that makes it any easier when you are in those situations.

So today as Sandy and I celebrate 15 years together, I thank God for the love and support we have given each other, especially during those very difficult times.

Don't forget to tell you loved ones regularly how much you love them. Don't take them for granted!

Healing Hand of God

Inspirational...

Here's the full version of Jeremy Camp song Healing Hand of God:

Visit Jeremy Camp's website: http://www.jeremycamp.com/

Would You Take Jesus' Place?

Would you be prepared to take His place?

I cannot comprehend how it must have felt for God, to sacrifice is only son just so my sins could be forgiven. How must Jesus have felt to know his own father was willing to let Him die on a cross? It's impossible to understand just how they must have felt.

So how can we repay them for what they did for us? We can give our heart to God, and live our lives for Him, doing all He asks of us.

Give your heart to God today!

Last Day On Earth

Matthew 25:21 (NIV)

"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'

If today was the last day you spent on this earth, would you be confident that when you come face to face with Jesus He will say "Well done"?

Last Day on Earth - Steven Curtin Chapman

I pull over the side of the road and I
Watch the cars pass me by
The headlights and the black limousines tell me
Someone is saying goodbye
I bow my head and I whisper a prayer, "Father,
Comfort their broken hearts"
And as I drive away there's a thought that I
I cannot escape, no I, I cannot escape this thought
I can't get away

Oh, if this should be my last day on this earth
How then shall I live
Oh, if this should be the last day that I have
Before I breathe the air of Heaven
Let me live it with abandon to
The only thing that remains
After my last day here on earth

If this should be my last day here on earth
If this should be my last day here on earth
If this should be my last, last day here on earth

And if tomorrow comes to find me
Looking in the face of Jesus
Will I hear Him say the words "well done" ?

If this should be my last day here on earth
If this should be my last, my last day here on earth
'Cause this could be my last, this could be my last
This could be my last day

Live everyday as it it were your last day on earth. Don't put of until tomorrow what you could do today, as you may not have a tomorrow. A bit of a morbid thought I know, but like my post yesterday ("His Provision"), I just want you to consider your life, how you are leading your life and whether it is acceptable and pleasing to God.

If God is asking you to do something, say "Yes" today - If He didn't want you to do it until tomorrow He would have asked you today!

Treat everyone as if it's the last time you'll see/speak to them, tell your friends and family how much you love them, you may not get another chance.

James 4:14 (NIV)

Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.

His Provision

At our morning service we had the retirement of two officers (ministers) who have served as Salvation Army officers (minister) for 38.5 years! We celebrated there many years of faithful service and the love and teaching they have passed on to all they met during their service.

This all got me to thinking about my own service, obviously not as a Salvation Army officer (minister), but simply as a follower of Christ who is serving Him as a soldier in the Salvation Army at Bellshill. What I started thinking about was my own service. If this were my "retirement" today, would I be celebrating my service to God, confident I had served Him well all my life?

This is a very tough question, and an even tougher one to answer honestly! So what's my answer? Well, I could tell you that I have served God as well as I possibly could and done everything He's asked of me, but I'm afraid that would not be the truth. I have done something in my life that I am not proud of, I've done some things in my life that gone against God's plan for me and I've said and done some things which I am ashamed of.

However, I am so thankful to God that despite all of this, He has forgiven me for all my sins, because He still loves me and cares for me and wants me to serve Him.
So how about you - If this were your"retirement" today, would you be celebrating your service to God, confident that you had served Him well all your life?

Whether your answer is positive or negative, rejoice, because God still loves you, and will always love you no matter what your sins.

On Thursday night at our band practice we practiced the beautiful Ivor Bosanko piece "His Provision" which was originally published in in the 1985 Musical Salvationist as a songster (senior choir) piece. The words of that piece are very relevant to where my thoughts have been today, and in fact we played this piece during our morning service.

Please consider the words of this song, and try to see how they fit with your life:

His Provision (Ivor Bosanko)
At the moment of my weakness,
When my need for pow'r is plain,
And my own strength is exhausted once again,
Then my Lord has made provision
For the day of my despair,
And His precious Holy Spirit hears my prayer, my prayer,
Then my Lord has made provision
For the day of my despair,
And His precious Holy Spirit hears my prayer.

Holy Spirit! Promised Presence fall on me.
Holy Spirit! Make me all I long to be.
Holy Spirit! Holy Spirit!
Give your pow'r to me,
O Holy Spirit.

When the darkness falls around me,
When bewildered and afraid,
When I feel the most deserted and betrayed,
Then my ev'ry need is answered
By God's providential care,
And His precious Holy Spirit hears my prayer, my prayer,
Then my ev'ry need in answered
BY God's providential care,
And His precious Holy Spirit hears my prayer.

Nothing now can rob God's servant
Of the peace that He bequeaths,
Nothing take away the strength His presence breathes,
Of the EVERLASTING ARMS OF LOVE I'M DAILY MADE AWARE,
And His precious Holy Spirit hears my prayer, my prayer,
of the everlasting arms of love I'm daily made aware,
And His precious Holy Spirit hears my prayer.

In conclusion I just want to leave the highlight me favourite words in this song:

When the darkness falls around me,
When bewildered and afraid,
When I feel the most deserted and betrayed,
Then my ev'ry need is answered
By God's providential care,
And His precious Holy Spirit hears my prayer.

These words are so reassuring to me, I hope they are reassuring to you too.

Reflections

What images came to your mind when you read the title of today's blog "Reflections"? A mirror? Water? Glass?


A reflection is something, such as light, radiant heat, sound, or an image, that is reflected. A reflection doesn't need to be an image or picture, so consider this, does your life reflect Jesus? Are you a shining example of Jesus' love?

We can present a Christ-like image to others but if we do not live our life as Christ expects, our heart will nor radiate God's love no matter how hard we try to outwardly convince people of our Christ-like ways.

Proverbs 27:19 (NLT)
As a face is reflected in water, so the heart reflects the real person.

As the above verse from Proverbs indicates, our heart will always give us away if we don't truly life for Christ, just as the image of a face is a true reflection of that face.


How is your heart? Does it reflect God's love?

God can help you live like Christ, so ask Him today to help you. Give your heart to Jesus today, He can then help change your heart...

Frustrations

This week at work, has felt like 2 weeks, however the days themselves have flown by as I’ve been very busy. That however hasn’t dimmed my frustrations in the last few days. The project I’m currently working is on is nearing it’s implementation, however in these last few weeks we just seem to be hitting one problem after another.

Yes, I am frustrated by it all particularly as many of the issues could and should have been avoided and saved us many hours of chasing to try to resolve things or find someone who can!

At the end of the day, this is only about work and when I leave work at night, I leave these frustrations behind me. They are still there the next day, but at least I can forget them while I’m not at work.

So how do you deal with frustrations?

Certainly as far as work is concerned I try to leave my frustration at work when I leave each day. It’s not so easy to put to one side other frustrations we face in life as often they have arisen from something that is a core part of our life and with us all the time. E.g. Health concerns, martial problems, concerns about our children etc.

Whatever your frustrations, take them to God, he’s there to help you through thick and thin.

God will always hear your prayer.

Hear My Prayer by J-ricz (http://www.jricz.com/

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It's Still The Cross

It's not conservative or liberal, However they're defined;
It's not about interpretation, Or the judgment of the mind;

It's the opposite of politics, Power or prestige;
It's about a simple message, And whether we believe.

It's still the cross, It's still the blood of Calvary;
That cleanses sins, And sets the captives free.
It's still the name, The name of Jesus,
That has power to save the lost; It's still the cross.

We can water down theology, And preach a word to suit our needs;
We can justify sweet subtle lies, That are wrapped in noble deeds;

We can alter our convictions, To adapt to social whims;
But we cannot change the Gospel, Or the truth contained within.

It's still the cross, It's still the blood of Calvary;
That cleanses sins, And sets the captives free.
It's still the name, The name of Jesus,
That has power to save the lost; It's still the cross.

Though some may say it's man's religion, Or ancient history;
The cross of Jesus still remains, The price for sin that sets us free.

It's still the cross, It's still the blood of Calvary;
That cleanses sins, And sets the captives free.
It's still the name, The name of Jesus,
That has power to save the lost; It's still the cross.

Only Jesus has the ability to help each of us. Only Jesus has the ability to rescue us when all else fails. All this is only possible because Jesus died on the cross at Calvary just so we can be forgiven of all our sins.

What a wonderful Saviour we have in Jesus. Don't take God for granted, He may be always there for us, but he expects us to live our lives in the wau he desires. Are you doing that? If not, give your heart to Jesus today.

Thank you God for the cross and all the cross has given us in return.

Thank you Lord for giving us Jesus.

Checkout the Hillsong Church website: http://hillsong.com/

Prayer Instructions

One thing that often discourages people from praying is their fear of doing it wrong.

So here are some basic instructions that someone passed to me a number of years ago, about how to pray:

• First, we must come in faith, believing that there is a God who will hear us and reward us (Hebrews 11:6)


• We must must willingly let God examine our hearts (Psalms 139:23-24), confess our sins (1 John 1:9), and then repent (Acts 3:19).


• Even when we feel our faith is small, we can still pray (Matthew 17:20).


• Do we have any relationships that need to be mended. If so, we should try to mend them (Matthew 5:23-24)


• Ask yourself, "would the answer to this prayer honour Jesus' name, or extend the work of God's kingdom?"

If your prayers don't currently follow these instructions, don't worry it doesn't mean God hasn't been listening to your prayers. Try to pray regularly, and try to keep the things I've mentioned in mind when you pray.

If you open your heart to God and let Him in, there is no limit to what He can do in your life.

Somebody's praying for me...to those of you who have been praying for me, and continuing to do so, a very big thank you from me.

Thank you!

A Message To Unbelievers

Does God hear and answer prayers of those who don't believe in Him? Yes! Think about it, every one of us was once an unbeliever but God listened to us when we prayed to Him to forgive us of our sins and enter our lives.

God hears the prayers of westerners and easterners, blacks and white, men and women, rich and poor, old and young, good and bad - He hears all prayers.

When Peter when to Cornelius and his family, he told them in Acts 10:34-36,43:
"I see clearly that God doesn't show partiality. In every nation he accepts those who fear him and do what is right. I'm sure you have heard about the Good News for the people of Israel - that there is peace with God through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. He is the one all the prophets testified about, saying that everyone who believes in him will have their sins forgiven through his name."

Those who are unbelievers need to hear God's message of love and forgiveness. They need you and me to tell them!

I'm sure we all have family and/or friends who are non believers, why not make a pledge today, to talk to them about God and tell them the Good News of Christ.

I Will Be There

For my family and friends...when you need me, I will be there for you...

Love your family and friends, God gave them to you, so repay Him by loving them with all your heart. Rememeber that God is always with you, so that whenever you need Him he will be there for you.

Be there for your friends and family just as Jesus is there for you.

Checkout the Steven Curtis Chapman website: http://www.stevencurtischapman.com/

Held

How good does it feel when you're having a bad time when someone gives you a big hug? It's wonderful isn't it? It's almost as if that hug makes whatever your going through that little bit easier to get cope with.

Even when you feel as if you're on your own and no one is there to hold you, don't forget God is still with you and is holding you close to Him at all times.

The song Held by Natalie Grant is one which is so very sad in many ways, but also one that reminds us how wonderful it is to know that when we are suffering, God is still there, holding us close to Him at all times.

Held by Natalie Grant
Two months is too little
They let him go
They had no sudden healing
To think that providence
Would take a child from his mother
While she prays, is appalling
Who told us we'd be rescued
What has changed and
Why should we be saved from nightmares
We're asking why this happens to us
Who have died to live, it's unfair

This is what it means to be held
How it feels, when the sacred is torn from your life
And you survive
This is what it is to be loved and to know
That the promise was when everything fell
We'd be held

This hand is bitterness
We want to taste it and
Let the hatred numb our sorrows
The wise hand opens slowly
To lilies of the valley and tomorrow

This is what it means to be held
How it feels, when the sacred is torn from your life
And you survive
This is what it is to be loved and to know
That the promise was when everything fell
We'd be held

If hope is born of suffering
If this is only the beginning
Can we not wait, for one hour
Watching for our savior

This is what it means to be held
How it feels, when the sacred is torn from your life
And you survive
This is what it is to be loved and to know
That the promise was when everything fell
We'd be held
We'd be held

This is what it is to be loved and to know
That the promise was when everything fell
We'd be held

This is what it means to be held.....

Do You Know..?

God loves you!

God loves you no matter what you may have done. He forgives us for all our sins, unconditionally. Who else do you know that would do that?

God gave the ultimate sacrifice when allowed His one and only son, Jesus, to be put to death, just so we could forgiven of all our sins. Can you imagine just how God felt seeing His son dying like that? God must love us an awful lot to do that!

God loves you, so let Him into your life. He will love you and guide you in all you do.

Oh Lord You've searched me
You know my ways
Even when I fail You
I know You love me

Your holy presence
Surrounding me
In every season
I know You love me
I know You love me

At the cross I bow my knee
Where Your blood was shed for me
There's no greater love than this
You have overcome the grave
Your glory fills the highest place
What can separate me now?

You go before me
You shield my way
Your hand upholds me
I know You love me

At the cross I bow my knee
Where Your blood was shed for me
There's no greater love than this
You have overcome the grave
Your glory fills the highest place
What can separate me now

You tore the veil
You made a way
When You said that it is done

And when the earth fades
Falls from my eyes
And You stand before me
I know You love me
Oh.. I know You love me

At the cross I bow my knee
Where your blood was shed for me
There's no greater love than this
You have overcome the grave
Your glory fills the highest place
What can separate me now?

You tore the veil
You made a way
When You said that it is done

Do I Pray A Lot?

Last night on Facebook I found a comment had been left for which simply said..."u sure do pray alot? what u pray 4?".

Well that got me thinking (don't worry I didn't overdo it!), do I really pray a lot? Well no, I don't think I do, but then who am I comparing myself with? Jesus?

Have you thought about how much you pray? If not, take a few minutes to think about how much time you spend in prayer each day.

I try to allocate specific times each day when I pray and do try to stick to that if I possibly can. That however does not mean that I don't pray at other times during the day, if/when the need arises.

So I've considered whether I pray a lot and answered that one so now, what do I pray about?

I pray for a wide variety of things. Here's a general list of just a few of the things I pray about/for...N.B. I don't necessarily pray for all of these things every time I pray!

• friends and family
• friends/family who have no found God
• people/situations others ask me to pray for
• church (my own as well as the the global church)
• local events/situations
• world events/situations
• me! - that God will help me to be more like Jesus

So that's just some of the things I pray for on a regular basis - I know these are very general topics, however this would be a very very long blog if I gave you more specific about my prayers.

What do you pray about? Do you believe God will answer your prayers? I believe God will answer my prayers. He often doesn't answers them in ways I'd expect or want, but He answers them in the way He knows is best for the people or situations involved.

So that's the questions I was asked answered, so I'd like to just take this opportunity to remind you to...

Believe in prayer, pray often, God will answer your prayer!

Don't Give Up On Prayer

Following on from my previous post "Praying When It's Difficult", I want to share some of my own experience of how difficult it can be to pray at times.

It's funny how for some people, the only time they turn to prayer is when things aren't going well for them. Then there's those of us who pray regularly and when we find ourselves facing difficult times, we find it hard to pray. I find quite ironic!

Over the last few years when I've faced some difficult times, I have at many times found it impossible to pray - not because I no longer believed God would help me, but simply because I couldn't find the words I wanted to say.

The one thing that kept me going through all this was the knowledge that God was still with me, and knew what was in my heart, He knew my thoughts and my feelings. How amazing is that!

Although I would have preferred not to have faced those times, I truly believe that without them, I would not be the person I am today. God has reinforced to me, just how much he can do for you and for me, if only we trust Him.

So no matter how difficult a time you're having, trust God, and try to pray - he'll hear the prayer in your heart even if you can't find the words.

Checkout the Casting Crowns website: http://www.castingcrowns.com/

Praying When It's Difficult

How many times a day should we pray?

Some say it doesn't matter, others say three times a day - this may be based on Daniel who "prayed three times a days, just as he had always done" (Daniel 6:10). But ultimately it really is up to us each as individuals how often we pray each day. The important thing is that we pray regularly, no matter what.

Daniel when threatened with death must have been tempted to not to pray at all, but because his habit was to pray three times every day, that we exactly what he continued to do. If praying was made a criminal offence, how many times a day would you pray?

How important to you is your prayer life? It should be very important. We live in a world that is predominantly hostile to God, so it goes without saying that we are likely to face difficult times in our faith. But prayer is what allows us to spend time with God, and helps us to grow in our trust of God, as well as helping others as well.

Can we be like Daniel and pray three times a day no matter what we face? Do we with as much diligence and determination as Daniel did?

Why not start today - pray three times every day from now on. Who knows who will be touched by your prayer life!

Teach Me

God wants and needs us all to spread His message throughout the word. That means he needs me and he needs you to tell others about God, to teach them His word.

Do you feel overwhelmed at this responsibility? I certainly do!
But there is no need for us to feel like this, all we must do is ask God to teach us!



So ask God to let His Word, the Word of Christ, dwell in you so that you may know His forgiveness and love. Ask Him to provide you with the wisdom to teach and encourage others, so that His Word may dwell richly in them as well.

"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God."
Colossians 3:16 (NIV)

Teaching others about God should be something we all do willingly and energetically, so ask God today to help you teach others of His love and understanding.

Thank You

Today I'd like to say thank you to all my family and all my friends for their love and understanding they've given to me over the years.

I know I for one can often take my family and friends for granted, so that's why today I want to say thank you to each of you. Don't put off saying "thank you" or "I love you" to someone close to you, as you never know when might be the last time you see them!

Sorry, I didn't mean to go all morbid there! All I'm trying to say is, don't take your family and friends for granted, so many people have no one and would be so grateful for just one friend.

The most important friend we can have in our life though, is of course Jesus. He like every other friend, should not be taken for granted, so when you pray, say thank you to God for all He does for you, and tell Him you love Him.

What A Friend I've Found (Martin Smith)
What a friend I've found
Closer than a brother
I have felt your touch
More intimate than lovers

Jesus, Jesus
Jesus, friend forever

What a hope I've found
More faithful than a mother
It would break my heart
To ever lose each other

Checkout the Delirious website: http://www.delirious.co.uk/html/

Humble

"This is the one I esteem; he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at My Word."
Isaiah 66:2 (NIV)

Humble and contrite, not two words we tend to use very often, but ones we must fully understand and emulate, to please God. Understanding what these words mean is actually the easy part, living these words is so much harder.

Humble
1. conscious of one's failings
2. modest and unpretentious
3. ordinary or not very important

Contrite
1. feeling regret and sorrow for one's sins or offenses
2. penitent

Just because we can find it difficult to be humble or contrite, we must not stop from striving to live these words fully.

Sinful pride is often what destroys any hope we have of helping ourselves to be humble and contrite. Only God can break through our pride and sin, and create the right spirit within us to accept the grace we need to be humble.

Humble King (by Benton Brown)
Oh kneel me down again
Here at Your feet
Show me how much You love
Humility

Oh spirit be the star
That leads me to
The humble heart of love
I see in You

Cuz You are the God of the broken
The friend of the weak
You wash the feet of the weary
Embrace the ones in need
And I want to be like you Jesus
To have this heart in me
You are the God of the humble
You are the humble King


Oh kneel me down again
Here at Your feet
Show me how much You love
Humility

Oh spirit be the star
That leads me to
The humble heart of love
I see in You

You are the God of the broken
The friend of the weak
You wash the feet of the weary
Embrace the ones in need
And I want to be like You Jesus
To have this heart in me
You are the God of the humble
You are the humble King
You are the humble King

You are the God of the humble
You are the humble King

Final Destination Heaven?

"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven."
Matthew 7:21 (NIV)

How deep is your love for Christ go? Is it just an acknowledgement that God exists and that Christ is Lord, or do you have a genuine relationship with God where you do all you can to do God's will?

For those who do not live their lives fully for Christ these words from Matthew's gospel must be frightening. God knows whether our lives are centered around Him and doing His will, and because of that knows whether we are worthy of entering into Heaven.


These words of Jesus should be calling out to us and touching our heart. He calls us to reality, away from all the superficiality of religion. True salvation and spiritual life are not just about saying those words or our religious performance. It it all about whether we do the will of God!

What is God's will? "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ." "He that believeth the Son has everlasting life." Such faith in Jesus our Saviour produces a genuine relationship with God, and new life.

I pray today that your relationship with God is based on doing God's will, not just acknowledging His existence.

Amazing Grace

When you hear people talking about God's grace, do you know what they mean?

Well here's what the dictionary says:
1. Seemingly effortless beauty or charm of movement, form, or proportion.
2. A characteristic or quality pleasing for its charm or refinement.
3. A sense of fitness or propriety.
4.
a. A disposition to be generous or helpful; goodwill.
b. Mercy; clemency.
5. A favour rendered by one who need not do so; indulgence.
6. A temporary immunity or exemption; a reprieve.
7.
a. Divine love and protection bestowed freely on people.
b. The state of being protected or sanctified by the favor of God.
c. An excellence or power granted by God.
8. A short prayer of blessing or thanksgiving said before or after a meal.

I think the definitions under number 7 best describe God's grace. i.e. God loves and protects every single one of us, and does so without us having to ask him for anything in the first place.

Isn't that amazing? Who else would love and protect you unquestioningly, without expecting or wanting anything in return?

God's grace is enough for all of us, as with God's love and protection, how can we possibly go wrong!


One of the most well known hymns is probably Amazing Grace - The song below by Chris Tomlin is a fantastic new arrangement of this well known hymn - I hope you enjoy it.

God's grace is amazing!

Amazing grace
How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me
I once was lost, but now I'm found
Was blind, but now I see
'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear
And grace my fears relieved
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed
My chains are gone
I've been set free
My God, my Savior has ransomed me
And like a flood His mercy rains
Unending love, Amazing grace

The Lord has promised good to me
His word my hope secures
He will my shield and portion be
As long as life endures

The earth shall soon dissolve like snow
The sun forbear to shine
But God, Who called me here below
Will be forever mine
Will be forever mine
You are forever mine

Visit Chris Tomlin's website: http://www.christomlin.com/

God Time

Life can be like a ball of string - some times we're wound up so tightly we feel we might break if one more thing pulls our "string" any tighter; other times we can feel the complete opposite, feeling completely worn out by everything life has flung at us we're more like an unravelled ball of string!


So where am I going with this ball of string? Well to keep our lives from getting unravelled or wound up too tightly, we need to have an active prayer life.

Prayer will help us to wind up the unravelled ball of string or release the pressure on the over tight ball of string. But that can't just happen without our cooperation - we must find a place and a time when we can be alone with God in prayer, to talk to Him but also to listen to Him.

In Psalm 5:3 the psalmist says "Listen to my voice in the morning, Lord. Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly". Do you spend time each morning waiting on God?


We all have such busy lives these days, so you may find it impossible to find a regular time/place to spend in prayer. So can I make a suggestion? Put time in your diary or calendar to spend with God in prayer - it has allowed me to spend much more time in prayer than I was previously doing when I was just trying to fit it in when/where I could - that doesn't work - God needs and wants you to spend quality time with Him.

So whether you're feeling wound up tight or completely unravelled and desperate to spend time alone with God, make a cup of tea or coffee, get your calendar and mark in your appointments with God, your "God time".

Checkout Jeremy Camp's website: http://www.jeremycamp.com/

Crisis

Following on from my post yesterday regarding your daily prayer routine (http://thedistinctdot.blogspot.com/2009/08/daily-routine.html), I want to talk about "crisis prayer" today.

Do you know what a "crisis prayer" is? It is often one we make when we are at rock bottom, when we are desperate and feel we have nowhere else to turn.

The prayers we utter at a time of crisis are just as legitimate as any other prayer, and they can often bring fantastic results. However, we should not pray only when we are in crisis. In other words, our crisis prayers should be bourne out of our regular prayer life.

Nehemiah 2:4-5 (New Living Translation)
The king asked, "Well how can I help you?". With a prayer to the God of heaven, I replied".

To be able to pray in a crisis, we must be in the habit of talking to God even when there's no crisis.

God alone will help us whenever we instinctively turn to Him, so make praying to God your routine, not just a reaction during a crisis.

Daily Routine

How do you start your day?

Are you one of those people you is up the second your alarm goes, or are you like me, turn over and go back to sleep again for as long as you can get away with?

So having got up, what do you do next - Bathroom, shower, breakfast, feed the cat/dog, get the kids up/dressed?

Now my "big" question - on average, how long does it take you after getting up, before you say your first prayer of the day?

Just a few minutes, hours or you're not sure as it just depends when you get free minute to pray - These are just a few of the answers you might have come up with.

Start your day with God. Make Him part of your day right from the moment you wake. If you invite God to be part of your day right from its commencement, what could possible make your day any better!

Make God part of your daily routine. Make prayer part of your daily routine.

They Can't Wait Any Longer

Today I'd like to ask you to watch/listen to the following video. I'm sure like me you'll me moved/touched by it, so all I'd ask is that you let your heart be touch by the words/music.

The song is Michael W Smith's song "We Can't Wait Any Longer" - It is simply a call to us all to help the needy, poor, and homeless, the victims of war torn countries and the aids epidemic, the impoverished and enslaved.

A silent call from a distant land
Crying for a helping hand, so
How long will it go on?
Ignorance and vanity
Supercede humanity, so
How long it will go on?
I want to know how long will it go on?

We can't wait any longer
They crying out, doesn't matter
We can't wait any longer
No, no. Too long in a slumber
Shake it up,wake it up now.
We can't any longer. No, no.

Another child is laid to rest
Another day of hopelessnes, so
How long it will go on?
And every day we're on the fence brings
Another fatal consequence, so
How long will it go on?
I want to know, how long will it go on?

Yuko awezayo kusikia kilio chetu? (Can somebody hear us crying out?)
Twaomba msaada wenu (Somebody help us)
Aweko mwenye kuttuoka (Somebody save us)
Aweko mwenye kutupa uhuru (Somebody free us)

Checkout Michael W Smith's website: http://www.michaelwsmith.com/

All There Is

Yesterday I talked about how much we want/need God in our lives (All I Want - http://thedistinctdot.blogspot.com/2009/08/all-i-want.html), and today I'm going to ask you another two questions:

How much of you does God want you to give Him?
How much of your life have you given to Him?

If your answer to both these questions is not "Everything", please ask yourself why.

There is no doubt that God does want you to give your whole life to Him. He wants all of you. So why have you not given God your all? Are you scared of what he'll ask you to do? Do you feel you're not worthy of God's love? Are you scared of what your family or friends might think?

Whatever your reasons, God can and will help give you the strength and encouragement to do all He wants you to do.
Psalm 199:76-77 (NIV)
May your unfailing love be my comfort, according to your promise to your servant.
Let your compassion come to me that I may live, for your law is my delight.

The following are the words of a beautiful song "All There Is of Me" by Sydney Cox, which I find expresses my desire to give "all there is of me" to God:

All there is of me, Lord,
All there is of me.
Time and talents, day by day,
All I give to Thee.

All there is of me, Lord,
All there is of me.
On Thine altar here I lay,
All there is of me.

For time and for eternity,
Take all there is of me.

All I Want

If you only had one thing in this world, what would you want it to be?

Money, home, family, friends, possessions are all things we often thank God for, or wish we had more of. But do we ever really acknowledge that God is all we need? My own answer would probably have to be a no. What about you?

We should not ever take God's presence in our life for granted, not because He will ever leave us, but simply because we must never forget the amazing and wonderful things God has done and continues to do in our lives.

Today I acknowledge and thank God for being "all I need in this world". I urge you to do the same.

All I Want (Michael W Smith)

All I have in this world
Is fire from above
All I have in this world
Is you
And all the journeys I have walked
I know you've walked them too
All I want is to be faithful
All I want is you

All I have is a love
That set my world on fire
Let it fall, let it burn in me
And oh to be a friend of God is all that I desire
All I want is to be faithful
All I want is you

All I want is you
All I want is you
All I want is you
Is you

All I have in this world
Is fire from above
All I have in this world
Is you
And all the journeys I have walked
I know you've walked them too
All I want is to be faithful
All I want is you

All I want is you
All I want is you
Da...oh oh oh
All I want is you
Is you

Checkout Michael W Smith's website:

http://www.michaelwsmith.com/